Distillation of Alcoholic Substances Bienvenido Lope Singcol II*, Kriska Doreen Tinte, Angelie Marie Turico, Acel Valdueza

Department of Biological Sciences College of Science University of Santo Tomas Espaa, Manila 1008

I.

Abstract

Different substances especially liquids are composed of numerous compounds present in variable percentages. To confirm the amount or percentage of a certain compound present in a solution, distillation process (whether simple or fractional) was performed. Performing the simple distillation, 3.50 mL distillate was collected at 79.5 C in lieu to the boiling point of ethanol which is 78.3 C. The % ethanol from the 15 mL sample used was 23.3% with 33.3% loss and 6.5 mL residue. Fractional distillation was better than simple distillation because the former produces purer ethanol due to the repeated distillation in the fractionating column rather than the simple distillation which may have percentage of other substances in the distillate.

II.

Introduction Various solutions are made up of different compounds which are present in

variable amount or percentage. Alcoholic beverages and products are commonly made up of different percentage of ethanol making them not too concentrated enough for the users. As with the alcoholic beverages, the concentration of ETOH is presented by alcohol by volume (ABV), in percentage by weight, or in proof. Ethanol is a straight-chain alcohol, and its molecular formula is C2H5OH. Its empirical formula is C2H6O. An alternative notation is CH3CH2OH, which indicates that the carbon of a methyl group (CH3) is attached to the carbon of a methylene group (CH2), which is attached to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group ( OH). It is a constitutional isomer of dimethyl ether. Ethanol is often abbreviated as EtOH, using the common organic chemistry notation of representing the ethyl group (C2H5) with Et. Distillation is a process involving the conversion of a liquid into vapour that is subsequently condensed back to liquid form. It is exemplified at its simplest when steam from a kettle becomes deposited as drops of distilled water on a cold surface. Distillation is used to separate liquids from non-volatile solids, as in the separation of alcoholic liquors from fermented materials, or in the separation of

two or more liquids having different boiling points, as in the separation of gasoline, kerosene, and lubricating oil from crude oil.1 In the case of alcoholic substances, the more volatile substance which is the ethanol will boil first at 78.3C and distillate could be collected. The process of distillation are of many types but the most commonly used are simple and fractional distillation. Simple distillation is the method used to separate substances in mixtures with significantly different boiling points, while fractional distillation is used for mixtures containing chemicals with boiling points close to each other. The latter uses a fractionating column which makes it different from the other. The function of the fractionating column is that it acts as a minor obstruction to the rising gas. It will prevent the not so pure vapor from passing through. The gas will condense on the surface area of the packing material in the fractionating column, and will be reheated by the rising hot gas, to be vaporized again until it becomes pure2. In this experiment, one should separate and calculate in percentage the alcohol content of a commercial alcoholic beverage or substance by distillation process. And by performing both the distillation process, one should be able to compare the efficiency of simple and fractional distillation techniques from one another. III. Experimental

The set-up for the Quickfit distillation was assembled first and the joints were well greased to prevent vapor loss. Next, 15 ml of sample alcoholic substance (70% Ethyl Alcohol) and two pieces of boiling chips were placed in the pearshaped distilling flask. The flask was then heated with a bunsen burner flame which was constantly being rotated around the flask. Test tubes were prepared for the collection of the distillate. As soon as the first drop of the distillate came out, the temperature reding was started to be recorded. 0.5 ml distillate was collected in a separate numbered, dry, test tube in which every temperature reading was recorded as each fraction was collected. The distillation was stopped when the temperature reached 100C. The set-up was cooled and the remaining liquid from the distilling flask was poured into a graduated cylinder and the volume was measured. Lastly, the temperature readings versus the volume of the distillate were plotted. IV. Results and Discussions Distillation has been used widely to separate volatile components from nonvolatile compounds. The underlying mechanism of distillation is the differences in volatility between individual components. With sufficient heat

applied, a gas phase is formed from the liquid solution. The liquid product is subsequently condensed from the gas phase by removal of the heat.1 The sample used was 70% ethyl alcohol. We got 9.50 ml of distillate from 97C. Knowing the fact that simple distillation set-up shown in the figure 1 was used, all the distillate got from 80C and above were theoretically not pure since the boiling point of ethanol is 78.3C. Figure 2 shows the data recorded by the group from the set-up.

Figure 1 Simple distillation set-up Volume (ml) 0.00 0.05 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 Temperature (C) 72.0C 76.0C 78.0C 78.0C 79.0C 79.0C 79.5C 79.5C 80.0C

4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00 9.50 10.00

80.0C 80.0C 80.0C 80.0C 80.0C 80.0C 82.0C 84.0C 86.0C 96.0C 97.0C 98.0C

Figure 2 Data recorded from simple distillation of 70% Ethyl Alcohol Distillation processes depends on the vapour pressure characteristics of liquid mixtures. The vapour pressure of a liquid at a particular temperature is the equilibrium pressure exerted by molecules leaving and entering the liquid surface. Here are some important points regarding vapour pressure4: y y y energy input raises vapour pressure vapour pressure is related to boiling a liquid is said to boil when its vapour pressure equals the surrounding pressure y y the ease with which a liquid boils depends on its volatility liquids with high vapour pressures (volatile liquids) will boil at lower temperatures y the vapour pressure and hence the boiling point of a liquid mixture depends on the relative amounts of the components in the mixture y distillation occurs because of the differences in the volatility of the components in the liquid mixture

The percentage ETOH was computed using the formula: %ETOH=__volume ETOH__ X 100 Volume sample

= 3.5 ml X 100 15.0ml =23.3% ETOH % Loss= __Volume sample (total volume distillate+volume residue)__ Volume sample = 15.0-(9.50 ml+0.00 ml) 15.0 ml =33.3% loss V. Conclusion We therefore conclude that the % ethanol of the alcohol Cleene is 23.3%. Simple distillation is good but fractionating distillation is better because of the fractionating column. This fractionating column acts as a minor obstruction to the rising gas. It will prevent the not so pure vapor from passing through. The gas will condense on the surface area of the packing material in the fractionating column, and will be reheated by the rising hot gas, to be vaporized again until it becomes pure. VI. References
1

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/166098/distillation

http://www.differencebetween.net/science/difference-between-fractional-

and-simple-distillation/
3

http://science.jrank.org/pages/2123/Distillation.html">Distillation - General

Principles, Applications
4

http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/distil/distilpri.htm

The Journal of Organic Chemistry. (2010). Washington, DC : American Chemical Society.